Dez Bryant: ‘I’m 100 percent’

IRVING – Cowboys first-round draft pick Dez Bryant says he will practice this afternoon after missing the last four practices with a pesky hamstring injury.

The wide receiver from Oklahoma State spent the opening workout of minicamp Friday morning working on the side with an athletic trainer.

“I’m great. I’m fine. This afternoon I’ll be ready to practice,” Bryant said. “I was going to go this morning, but they wanted to see if I was ready or not. They saw I was ready, so I’m going to practice.”

Bryant’s hamstring issue has raised concerns that he could be prone to nagging injuries. He’s missed a total of five practices since the Cowboys drafted him 24th overall in April, including one due to food poisoning.

Bryant was held out of three OTA practices this week with tightness in his hamstring. It’s the same injury that prevented him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine.

“Nah, it’s just all football,” Bryant said of whispers that he could be injury prone. “Injuries come

and you get treatment and get back out there and play football….I’m 100 percent….If you look at my past, I barely really been injured. I just feel like it’s all part of football. I’m going to get my injuries taken care of.”

Bryant said he’s got the playbook down.

“I’m great (with the offense). I’m comfortable. I’m confident. I feel like if the coaches put out there, I wouldn’t need nobody behind me. I would know what to do. I’m ready to go.”

In other injury news, linebacker Keith Brooking practiced for the first time this offseason since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery shortly after the end of last season.

“It feels great to be back out there,” Brooking said. “I wish I had been out there the whole time. My knee felt better than it’s felt in a long time, so that’s a big positive…My legs felt great. I felt strong, I felt quick. I’m pleased with the day. I just hope I don’t have a negative reaction, but I don’t think I will because the knee felt great.”

As a precaution, Brooking will practice only once a day during minicamp.